The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of butterfly bush grown as an ornamental for its profuse display of pink flowers. The new cultivar is known botanically as Gaura lindheimeri and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘Walgaupf’.
‘Walgaupf’ is a seedling selection that was selected by the inventor in the summer of 2000 out of two-hundred seedlings that resulted from the induced cross between Gaura ‘White Fountain’ (unpatented) and Gaura ‘Siskyou Pink’ (unpatented). The female parent plate is Gaura ‘White Fountain’ and the male parent plant is Gaura ‘Siskyou Pink’. The selection was conducted in a cultivated area of Sussex, United Kingdom and resulted from a formal breeding program designed to produce new and improved varieties of Gaura. Seedling selection was based on number of open flowers per flower spike.
The female parent, Gaura ‘White Fountain’, has pure white flowers and a dense upright habit. ‘Walgaupf’ exhibits similar dense habit characteristics but has pink flowers as further described herein.
The closest comparison plant to ‘Walgaupf’ is Gaura ‘Siskyou Pink’. The Flower spikes of Siskiyou Pink exhibits 2-3 flowers open at a time per spike when in full growth. In contrast ‘Walgaupf’ exhibits an average of 5-8 flowers open at a time per flower spike when in full growth. This confers a dense flowering effect as opposed to the customary wispy flowering effect.
‘Walgaupf’ was first asexually propagated in 2000 by the inventor in a cultivated area of Sussex, United Kingdom. The original seedling was selected out, planted in the breeders test garden and propagated by stem cuttings. Subsequent stock is derived from this single plant. Since that time the characteristics of the new cultivar have been determined stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.